[Trip]

[Trip] Photo Trip - My Favorite Cafés in Sokcho

Today is a rainy and cloudy day so although it may seem gloomy, rain makes a cup of coffee taste better than ever. So I've been on short coffee trips to Sokcho, Gangwon province with a good friend. There are a few excellent cafés in Sokcho - among my favorites - so I want to introduce them to you today with photos :)

1. Coffee Belt (커피벨트)

It's a good café to visit for an aromatic cup of joy with its variety of coffee beans. They do cold brew (also known as 'dutch') and hand-drip coffee. They always use fresh coffee beans with an exotic aroma and flavor :)

2. Another Blue (어나더블루)

Its name is 'Another Blue' but the taste of the coffee is not 'blue' :) Another Blue is famous for einspanner (an Austrian coffee with thick sweet cream on top), accompanied by lemon zest and great cakes :)

3. Sunsarogil (선사로길)

This is my favorite café in Sokcho which serves an excellent cup of einspanner with sweet, thick cream and a fine bakery :) I recommend their selection of pound cake and scone :)

Bon Voyage!

[Food] Gondeure-bap Recipe (곤드레밥, Seasoned Thistle with Rice)

[Food]

[Food] Gondeure-bap Recipe (곤드레밥, Seasoned Thistle with Rice)

South Korea consists of 8 provinces, and each province has its unique culture and  cuisine style due to different climate, environment and geography. Gangwon province is in the north-eastern part of South Korea and has lot of mountains, valleys, lakes and a long East Sea with plenty of marine resources.

However, Gangwon province has a very scarce terrain, so their main food resource is not rice but countless kinds of herbs, mushrooms, vegetables, wild fruits and seafood. Even today, Gangwon province's high quality herbs are very wellknown and popular in South Korea.

A herb shop in Jungsun, Gangwon province, South Korea.

Today's food, Gondeure-bap (곤드레밥, Seasoned Thistle with Rice) is a result of Gangwon province's high quality herbs from its mountains and clean environment. Gondeure is a Korean thistle which has been eaten in Gangwon province for a long time before historical records.

Gondeure has a very unique, sweet, savory and bitter smell and taste. It usually comes into the market after completing a drying process, and is sold as a bundle or in a compact pack.

Dried gondeure in a plastic zip bag. Gondeure usually sells for 12 USD per bag or bundle

Gondeure-bap, seasoned thistle with rice.

People in Gangwon province steam or macerate gondeure to cook it. Gondeure-bap is a popular and famous recipe that uses gondeure as a main ingredient. It's very easy.

1. Steam/macerate gondeure in hot water for 30 minutes
2. Cook them with rice in a rice-cooker with a little perilla oil
3. Add some soy-sauce with chili powder and spring onion as desired

Gondeure is full of dietary fibers which help prevent constipation, and it also has a diuretic effect which helps the excretion of body waste. Moreover, high calcium in gondeure keeps bones in good shape.

Fully cooked gondeure has a very soft, full and unique taste and scent. As mentioned above, you must try it if you visit Gangwon province. Jungsun city is very well-known for gondeure-bap :)

Gondeure-bap with soy-sauce and buckwheat pancake-roll.

Bon Appétit!